Winning the Hearts & Souls by Hafiz Ibn Katheer

Festivals and celebrations are occasions of joy and happiness. They have their distinctive spirit in all societies and cultures, and are eagerly awaited and heartily welcomed by everyone.

The feeling of excitement associated with these occasions, however, causes people to introduce uncommon, strange or even bizarre practices during them.

Islam regulates the occasions to be celebrated and the methods of celebrating them. It maintains their atmosphere of happiness, while redirecting

This book discusses the two annual Islaamic festivals: Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adhaa as well as the weekly Jumu’ah. It presents the Islaamic guidelines for celebration according to the Quraan and Sunnah, and warns against innovated occasions and un-Islaamic festivals.

In addition to topics that are standard to ‘Id celebration, such as the ‘Id prayer and khutbah, and ‘Id pastimes, this book discusses zakat-ul-fitr, the sacrifice, the blessed days of the month of Thul-Hijjah, and numerous other ‘Id-related issues.

The broad and thorough discussions in this book make it an important manual and complete reference on festivals and celebrations in Islam. Indeed, from Allah (swt) we seek help and acceptance.

Covered from head to toe with only her eyes visible, the sight of a Muslim woman on a western city street rarely fails to provoke a strong reaction. Feelings of shock, horror, repulsion, pity or even fear are not uncommon. But have you ever wondered who it is behind the veil and what makes her tick? Ever wondered what her life is really like and whether her dreams, hopes and aspirations differ from yours? From My Sisters’ Lips offers a rare glimpse into the lives of a community of women, most of whom are converts to Islam, and invites you to share their joys, sorrows, convictions and faith.

When Na’ima B Robert abandoned her western lifestyle and embraced Islam six years ago, it was not a decision taken lightly. Yet soon after she took her first tentative steps towards covering, she felt empowered; no longer judged on physical appearances alone, no longer seeking the approval to feel beautiful – or using her looks to wield power over men – the experience effected her greatly. Before long she grew in confidence and courage. As she says, ‘Something just clicked. I thought, “Good, don’t look; don’t compare me with your latest squeeze, don’t try and guess my measurements – my body is my own business!”‘
From My Sisters’ Lips offers a glimpse into the lives of just some of the extraordinary women who, like herself, have chosen to live behind the veil. What emerges is a vivid and intimate portrait of a sisterhood; as they speak candidly and with conviction on a diverse range of subjects ranging from marriage to motherhood, stereotypes, submission and self-image, we hear the strong, proud voices of those who are seldom heard.

This book examines the role of women in Islam, their education and marriage, and several controversial topics such as domestic violence, female genital mutilation and polygyny. It addresses honestly the divergence between Islamic teaching and actual culturally-influenced practices.